Water-closet tank mechanism.



f "'PATENTED JUNE 7,1904.

, J. M; BURR. WATBRGLOSET TANK MECHANISM.

LPPLIOATIOH FILED JULY18, 1903.

2 SHEETS-$111131 1.

I INVENTOIR.

WITNESSES.

No. 761,758. I A PATENT ED JUNE 7, 1904. J; M. BURR. I WATER CLOSET TANK MECHANISM.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JULY 18, 1903.

F0 IODEL.

WITNESSES.

Patented June 7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. BURR, OF NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

vWATEFP-CLOSET TANK MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,758, dated June 7', 1904.

Application filed July 18, 1903. Serial No. 166,152. (No model.)

1'0 0,46 w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that'I, JOHN M. BURR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwalk,

county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new and useful Water-Closet Tank Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is applicable to any of the various types of siphon, wash-down. and washout Water-closets now in general use.

In plunger-valve water-closets as ordinarily constructed the flow of water from the tank through the flush-pipe ceases the instant the chain is released, and in all the types of waterclosets having a continuous flow without holding the chain there is more or less suction of air into the flush-pipe, which makes the closets unpleasantly noisy, no matter how eflicient they may be in other respects.

It is one of the objects of this invention to produce a water-closet having a ground-seat plunger-valve and mechanism operating in connection therewith which shall make the tank mechanism perfectly tight, thereby preventing waste of water, and perfectly noiseless, as suction of air in the flush-pipe is absolutely prevented-a mechanism, in brief,

having all the advantages of the best siphon mechanisms now in use without any of the disadvantages that are inherent in all waterclosets that operate on the siphon principle.

A further object of the invention is to' produce a water-closet tank mechanism having a phon. I y

A further object of the invention is to produce a Water-closet tank mechanism havingan continuous flow, so called, without asi ica'lly to stop the flow of water from the tank before the water in the tank is exhausted and before air can pass .in.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts, improvements, and combinations', which will be hereinafter described and then specifically pointed out in the claims parts when the tank is filled to the normal height and the valve closed; Fig. 2, a plan view; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section showing the position of the parts after the Valve has been raised and the water hascommenced to flow into the flush-pipe, this view also showing a slightly-different mode of adjusting the cross-bar that controls the automatic overflow; Fig. 4, a transverse section on the line 4: 4 in Fig. 3, but showing the overflow cross-bar adjusted as in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View on the line-5'5 in Fig. 3.

10 denotes a tank, which may be of the ordinary or any preferred construction. The supply-pipe is not shown, for the reason that my present mechanism relates solely to the emptying of the tank, which may be filled in any ordinary or preferred manner.

11 denotes the flush-pipe, which is connected, by means of a suitable coupling, (indicated by 12,) witha downwardly and inwardly tapering ground valve-seat 13, which opens into the tank.

1 1 denotes a plunger-valve, which is carried by a stem 15, extending upward through'a frame .16, rigidly secured within the tank. The upper end of the valve-stem is shown as connected, by means of a chain 17, with an operating-lever 18, which may be operated by means of a depending pull-chain (not shown) or in any ordinary or preferred manner. The Valve-stem is shown as provided with a longitudinal vent-hole 19, the purpose of which will presently be fully explained. 'The'valve is provided with a cross-bar 20, the opposite ends of which are adapted to be engaged by notches 21 in the downwardly-extending arms 22 of a yoke 23, the opposite sides of which are pivoted to the frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The special details of construction of the frame are not of the essence of the invention. It is sufficient that the frame be made sufficiently rigid to support the operative parts of the mechanism. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the shape ofthe yoke in side elevation is that of a bell-crank lever.

24 denotes a rod extending from the center of the yoke, which carries a relatively small float 25, which may be of glass or copper.

26 denotes an arm extending from the frame, to the upper end of which a yoke 27 is pivoted. A rod 28 extends from this yoke, which is shown as provided with a hub or ball 29, through which a threaded rod 30 passes. At the upper end of rod 30 is a relatively large float 31, the height of this float being adjustable by means of the threaded rod, which passes through the hub and is locked in position after adjustment by a set-screw 32.

It will of course be obvious that the details of construction may be greatly varied without departing from the principle of the invention. For example, it is not essential that yoke 27 and rod 28 be made in two parts or that the arrangement of yoke 23 be as shown or that said yoke be provided with two downwardly-extending arms 22 instead of one. I preferably, however, construct the mechanism substantially as illustrated in the drawings and have not illustrated modifications, as their construction is obvious.

33 denotes a cross-bar on the valve-stem, which is adapted to be engaged by yoke 27 to lift the valve-stem and .the valve and permit water to pass into the flush-pipe should water rise too high in the tank. This cross-bar is necessarily adjustable on the valve-stem.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 4: I have shown the valvestem as provided with an external thread 34, and the cross-bar is provided with athreaded hub 35, engaging it. To adjust the cross-bar in this form, the operator simply rotates the cross-bar and the hub upward or downward, as may be necessary, on the threaded valvestem.

In Figs. 3 and 5 I have shown a form in which neither the valve-stem nor hub 34 are threaded; but the hub slides freely on the valvestem and is locked at any required adjustment by a set-screw 36.

The operation is as follows: The water-level in the tank is determined by the supply mechanism, which, as already stated, forms no portion of my present invention. Having determined the height of the water-level, float 31 is adjusted to correspond therewith by turning the float and rod 30 upward ordownward, as may be required, and locking it in place after adjustment by means of the setscrew. In use the usual movement of the operating-lever raises the valve-stem and valve and the water in the tank commences to flow out through the flushpipe. ltwill of course be understood that as float 25 is normally covered by the water its tendency is to rise and that it holds downwardly-extending arms 22 pressed against cross-bar 20 on the valve. As soon as the val ve-stem and valve are raised, therefore, float 25 will rise and willswing arm 22 inward, as in Fig. 3, and cause notches 21 in said arms to engage cross-bar 20 and lock the valve at the raised position, in which position it will remain until cross-bar 20 is released by the fall of float 25. This releaseof the cross-bar and valve will take place as soon as the water in the tank has fallen to the predetermined level---that is, far enough so that it will not hold said float 25 at the raised position, as in Fig. 3. As soon as the water in the tank fails to support the float it falls, which swings arms 22 outward, as in Fig. 1, thereby disengaging the notches from crossbar 20 and permitting the valve to fall by its own weight and instantly shut off the flow of water into the flush-pipe. It will be noted, therefore, that the tank is never emptied in use, the parts being so proportioned and arranged as to shut off the flow of water into the flush-pipe before it has fallen low enough to permit any suction of air into the flushpipe, thereby wholly preventing the noise ordinarily caused by suction.

The function of float 31 is solely to produce an automatic flow from the tank should the water therein rise above the normal level through any cause whatever. Under ordinary conditions yoke 27, red 28, and float 31 rise and fall with the water in the tank, but without effect on the normal operation of the mechanism. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that cross-bar 33 is so adjusted on the valve-stmn as to be just above yoke 27 when the water in the tank is at its normal level. Should the water rise above this level, however, it will necessarily raise float 31, red 28, and yoke27, placing the latter in engagement with crossbar 33 and raising the valve-stem and valve, which permits the water in the tank to pass out through the flush-pipe until the flow is again stopped through the operation of float 25 precisely the same as though the mechanism had been operated in the usual manner by means of the operating-lever. This automatic operation of float 31 will continue so long as water in the tank continues to rise above the normal level, thus making overflow of the tank impossible.

The function of the longitudinal vent-hole 19 in the valve-stem is to permit the flushpipe to slowly empty itself after the flow of water from the tank has been cut off. This vent-hole is provided for the reason that no air can enter the flush-pipe with the water from the tank, so that when the valve is released through the operation of float a solid column of water remains in the flushpipe. By providing a vent-hole through the valve-stem and of course through the valve suflicient air is permitted to enter the flushpipe to cause the water therein to run out.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a mechanism of the character described the combination with a valve-seat, a plungervalve, a stem therefor and a cross-bar on the valve-stem, of float-controlled means to engage said cross-bar for locking the valve at the raised position and for releasing the valve when the water in the tank has fallen to a predetermined level, a float 31 and an arm by which said float is carried and which is adapted to engage the cross-bar to lift the valve-stem and valve should water in the tank rise above a predetermined level.

2. In a mechanism of the character described the combination with a tapering valve-seat and a correspondingly-tapering plunger-valve, of means for lifting the valve from the seat, a float and connections for automatically locking the valve at the raised position and for releasing the valve so that it will close automatically when the Water has fallen to a predetermined level and a float 31 and connections whereby the valve is raised should the water rise above a predetermined level.

3. In a mechanism of the character described the combination with a downwardly and inwardly tapering valve-seat and a correspondingly-tapering plunger-valve, ofa float 25 and connections for positively locking the valve at the raised position and for releasing it when the water has fallen to a predetermined level and a float 31 and connections for automatic- Witnesses:

ADDISON A. Bn'r'rs, HORACE S. GIBBs. 

